Redeemed From The Law

Temple Baptist Church - 7-1-2009

Galatians 4:1-5

Introduction:

A. The Old Testament believers were kept by the power of God, not by the power of works. Verse 1 says that they were “heirs” or children of the family.

1. They were kept under the tutorship of the Law. Tutor – to instruct, to teach, to correct. The Law was the Old Testament believer’s Tutor. It exposed the depravity of their human nature and absolute holiness of God.

2. They were kept under the governorship of the Law. It placed law into place as a restraint against the believer’s depraved nature.

B. Israel did not fully understand the workings of the Law though they placed their faith in the Lord for salvation as we do. Looking back, our hindsight is much clearer through God’s completed Word.

2 Corinthians 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

C. Old Testament believers were “heirs” by faith. Even in the O. T., you had to be born into the family of God by faith by looking forward to the coming of the Messiah and placing your faith in His work—not their own righteousness.

1. Who Jesus Was – vs. 4

a. He Was The Promised Seed Of The Woman

b. He Was The Promised Saviour Of The World

c. He Was The Word Made Flesh – Jehovah God

2. How Jesus Came – vs. 4

a. Made Of The Woman – Did away with inherent sin through Adam – Sins of ignorance or “innocent sin” (Adamic sin brought about both spiritual and physical death. Death is done away with in Christ.)

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Christ saved us from sins of Psalms 58:3: “ The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” Sins of innocence)

Romans 5:17-18 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (That is why we will be sinlessly perfect in Heaven – our new body does away with sin nature of the natural man.)

b. Made Under The Law – Did away with presumptuous sin through His obedience - Christ became subject to His own law.

Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

3. What Jesus Did – vs. 5

a. He Fulfilled The Law Completely

1) The Moral Law – Ten Commandments – He knew no sin, He did no sin, He spoke no sin!

2) The Civil Law – Every Ordinance Of Man - He fulfilled the Law therefore he “fastened his seatbelt for you, kept the speed limit for you, etc. He paid your taxes for you, obeyed ever ordinance of man for you. Where we fail, He did not fail!

3) The Ceremonial Law – His Complete Sacrifice - He completed once and forever every sacrifice of the Law. (Those who choose to “keep their salvation” are brought under the curse of the Law. They must keep every “jot and tittle” in order to satisfy its just demands. People who keep their salvation pick and choose which laws that they want to keep. As long as they do not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, they are OK They omit all of the other laws. God said if you keep one, you keep them all! Galatians 3:10-12)

Matthew 5:17-18 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

1 Peter 2:22-24 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (23) Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

b. He Sacrificed His Life On Calvary – Thus fulfilling the Law’s just demand of death - Jesus Christ died once for all!

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

4. Why Jesus Died – vs. 5 - To redeem those who were under the Law.

a. He Redeemed The Old Testament Saint

Hebrews 9:19-26 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

b. He Redeemed The New Testament Saint

Colossians 1:12-14 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

c. He Removed The Curse Of Death

Genesis 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: (Sin separated Adam and Eve from both spiritual and physical life. Jesus Christ reconciled them in both areas.)

Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.